The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is actively promoting it through social media with exceptional high salary and bonus conditions to hire (ICE) agents who will carry out illegal immigrant arrest and deportation operations.
ICE offered up to $50,000 in bonuses for hiring contracts and up to $60,000 in student loan cancellation.
ICE classifies potential jobs into three categories: deportation officer, crime investigator, and general lawyer. Among them, the annual salary level of deportation officer is $49,739 to $101,860 and criminal investigators are promoted at $63,148 to $144,031, the WSJ reported.
Compared to new police officers in New York City and Chicago police departments receiving $61,000 and $62,000 per year, respectively, this salary is quite competitive, the WSJ compared.
ICE has also created a deportation officer position for applicants aged 40 or older. It is also launching a “return to mission” campaign to bring back retired law enforcement officers.
The ICEX account posted an image of “Ungle Sam” symbolizing the United States, along with the words “America has been invaded by criminals and predators. We need you to drive them out.”
WSJ reported that such a recruitment strategy is actually working.
A young man who recently applied to ICE while working at a home interior goods store called Lowes said it was difficult to ignore financial benefits, adding, “It is difficult to pay off student loans.”
“Even if it involves some violence, I will be able to live with less stress than I am now,” the applicant added of the ICE job.
ICE agents’ work has many similarities with local police. Applicants must pass physical suitability tests and medical examination standards.
According to some job postings from ICE, new hires may be forced to work in dangerous and stressful situations.
In line with the Trump administration’s guidelines, ICE has conducted random arrest operations over the past few months by raiding immigrant-dense areas to boost its crackdown performance, sparking fierce resistance.
As a result, many of those employed by ICE are expected to be experienced in law enforcement agencies such as the police, which is also problematic.
Florida Sheriff Grady Judd recently said ICE is sending emails directly to local law enforcement officers encouraging them to apply for recruitment, criticizing federal agencies for “not right” to take out key local personnel in this way.
Citing data from the “Evacuation Data Project,” a research group that analyzes the status of immigrant deportations, the WSJ said that ICE expelled 144,000 people by the end of June, slightly more than the previous Biden administration’s 136,854 deportations during the same period last year.
SAM KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
